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Chapter 245A

Section 245A.11

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245A.11 Special conditions for residential programs.

Subdivision 1. Policy statement. It is the policy of the state that persons shall not be excluded by municipal zoning ordinances or other land use regulations from the benefits of normal residential surroundings.

Subd. 2. Permitted single-family residential use. Residential programs with a licensed capacity of six or fewer persons shall be considered a permitted single-family residential use of property for the purposes of zoning and other land use regulations, except that a residential program whose primary purpose is to treat juveniles who have violated criminal statutes relating to sex offenses or have been adjudicated delinquent on the basis of conduct in violation of criminal statutes relating to sex offenses shall not be considered a permitted use. This exception shall not apply to residential programs licensed before July 1, 1995. Programs otherwise allowed under this subdivision shall not be prohibited by operation of restrictive covenants or similar restrictions, regardless of when entered into, which cannot be met because of the nature of the licensed program, including provisions which require the home's occupants be related, and that the home must be occupied by the owner, or similar provisions.

Subd. 2a. Adult foster care license capacity. (a) An adult foster care license holder may have a maximum license capacity of five if all persons in care are age 55 or over and do not have a serious and persistent mental illness or a developmental disability.

(b) The commissioner may grant variances to paragraph (a) to allow a foster care provider with a licensed capacity of five persons to admit an individual under the age of 55 if the variance complies with section 245A.04, subdivision 9, and approval of the variance is recommended by the county in which the licensed foster care provider is located.

(c) The commissioner may grant variances to paragraph (a) to allow the use of a fifth bed for emergency crisis services for a person with serious and persistent mental illness or a developmental disability, regardless of age, if the variance complies with section 245A.04, subdivision 9, and approval of the variance is recommended by the county in which the licensed foster care provider is located.

Subd. 2b. Adult foster care; family adult day care. An adult foster care license holder licensed under the conditions in subdivision 2a may also provide family adult day care for adults age 55 or over if no persons in the adult foster or adult family day care program have a serious and persistent mental illness or a developmental disability. The maximum combined capacity for adult foster care and family adult day care is five adults, except that the commissioner may grant a variance for a family adult day care provider to admit up to seven individuals for day care services, if all of the following requirements are met: (1) the variance complies with section 245A.04, subdivision 9; (2) a second caregiver is present whenever six or more clients are being served; and (3) the variance is recommended by the county social service agency in the county where the provider is located. A separate license is not required to provide family adult day care under this subdivision. Adult foster care homes providing services to five adults under this section shall not be subject to licensure by the commissioner of health under the provisions of chapter 144, 144A, 157, or any other law requiring facility licensure by the commissioner of health.

Subd. 3. Permitted multifamily residential use. Unless otherwise provided in any town, municipal, or county zoning regulation, a licensed residential program with a licensed capacity of seven to 16 persons shall be considered a permitted multifamily residential use of property for the purposes of zoning and other land use regulations. A town, municipal, or county zoning authority may require a conditional use or special use permit to assure proper maintenance and operation of a residential program. Conditions imposed on the residential program must not be more restrictive than those imposed on other conditional uses or special uses of residential property in the same zones, unless the additional conditions are necessary to protect the health and safety of the persons being served by the program. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to exclude or prohibit residential programs from single-family zones if otherwise permitted by local zoning regulations.

Subd. 4. Location of residential programs. In determining whether to grant a license, the commissioner shall specifically consider the population, size, land use plan, availability of community services, and the number and size of existing licensed residential programs in the town, municipality, or county in which the applicant seeks to operate a residential program. The commissioner shall not grant an initial license to any residential program if the residential program will be within 1,320 feet of an existing residential program unless one of the following conditions apply: (1) the existing residential program is located in a hospital licensed by the commissioner of health; (2) the town, municipality, or county zoning authority grants the residential program a conditional use or special use permit; (3) the program serves six or fewer persons and is not located in a city of the first class; or (4) the program is foster care.

Subd. 5. Overconcentration and dispersal. (a) Before January 1, 1985, each county having two or more group residential programs within 1,320 feet of each other shall submit to the department of human services a plan to promote dispersal of group residential programs. In formulating its plan, the county shall solicit the participation of affected persons, programs, municipalities having highly concentrated residential program populations, and advocacy groups. For the purposes of this subdivision, "highly concentrated" means having a population in residential programs serving seven or more persons that exceeds one-half of one percent of the population of a recognized planning district or other administrative subdivision.

(b) Within 45 days after the county submits the plan, the commissioner shall certify whether the plan fulfills the purposes and requirements of this subdivision including the following requirements:

(1) a new program serving seven or more persons must not be located in any recognized planning district or other administrative subdivision where the population in residential programs is highly concentrated;

(2) the county plan must promote dispersal of highly concentrated residential program populations;

(3) the county plan shall promote the development of residential programs in areas that are not highly concentrated;

(4) no person in a residential program shall be displaced as a result of this section until a relocation plan has been implemented that provides for an acceptable alternative placement;

(5) if the plan provides for the relocation of residential programs, the relocation must be completed by January 1, 1990. If the commissioner certifies that the plan does not do so, the commissioner shall state the reasons, and the county has 30 days to submit a plan amended to comply with the requirements of the commissioner.

(c) After July 1, 1985, the commissioner may reduce grants under section 245.73 to a county required to have an approved plan under paragraph (a) if the county does not have a plan approved by the commissioner or if the county acts in disregard of its approved plan. The county board has the right to be provided with advance notice and to appeal the commissioner's decision. If the county requests a hearing within 30 days of the notification of intent to reduce grants, the commissioner shall not certify any reduction in grants until a hearing is conducted and a decision made in accordance with the contested case provisions of chapter 14.

Subd. 5a. Integration of residential programs. The commissioner of human services shall seek input from counties and municipalities on methods for integrating all residential programs into the community.

Subd. 6. Hospitals; exemption. Residential programs located in hospitals shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.

HIST: 1987 c 333 s 12; 1988 c 411 s 6; 1990 c 568 art 2 s 47; 1992 c 513 art 9 s 14; 1993 c 10 s 1; 1995 c 224 s 79; 1997 c 203 art 7 s 4; 1997 c 248 s 31; 2000 c 327 s 6; 2001 c 4 s 1,2

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